Overview of the Role:

You will be playing a key role in growing Awel Aman Tawe’s (AAT) innovative work to drive forward local action on the journey to Net Zero. AAT aims to scale up its impact in South and West Wales in the context of the Climate Emergency. We want to catalyse action on the rapid decarbonisation of the local economy by developing renewable generation, clean transport, affordable low carbon housing, energy advice and new building retrofit opportunities.
 
If you are interested in this role, but don’t feel you meet all the criteria, please do not be put off applying. We encourage you to send your covering letter and CV, or contact us for an informal chat. 

• Time: Full time preferred, but we are open to part time arrangements, and more than one appointment. (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday – Friday)
• Duration: Permanent contract (subject to 6 month probationary period).
• Location: We are open to discussions to enable significant elements of flexible/home working. Presence at Hwb y Gors (AAT Offices), Cwmgors in the Swansea Valley, and presence at construction sites across South Wales will be required to suit business needs.
• Salary: £28,000 – £33,000 (dependant on experience/qualifications).
• Deadline: Friday 5^th September 2025
• Interviews:  Friday 12th September 2025

About you:

To do this we are looking for a talented individual to join our team and bring:
An understanding of the role that driven, highly skilled third sector organisations can play in scaling solutions that enable a just transition to net zero
Significant experience in the development and delivery of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, energy surveying, and ideally some familiarity with low carbon housing and/or energy advice services
A socially entrepreneurial mindset and an ability to identify and develop new business opportunities and relationships
The ability to understand our big picture objectives and develop bids and business cases that will underpin our programmes of work
An attitude and approach that suits a value-led, dynamic and collaborative work environment
The ability to build relationships in person, while remote working with people from a wide range of backgrounds
 

The Job – What you will be doing:

You will be working closely with colleagues to bring forward a range of community energy projects. You will be bringing your skills to catalyse action on the rapid decarbonisation of the local economy by developing opportunities to grow levels of local renewable energy generation, with a focus on roof top solar, other renewable energy projects and energy surveys.

Specifically this will mean:

• Developing new rooftop solar sites with local authorities, businesses and communities.
• Undertaking and supporting other staff doing energy audits on community buildings. Further development of this area of work to include business and school audits.
• Bringing forward a pipeline of community led net zero affordable new homes.
• Working closely with local authorities, Welsh Government and other major stakeholders in the region to grow collaborative working towards an inclusive net zero transition.
• Leading new business development opportunities including funding bids.
• Developing and maintaining positive relations with funders, clients, stakeholders, Trustees and Directors, including the development of required verbal and written reports.
• Project budget management, financial modelling, administration and reporting.
• Meeting organisational governance requirements and associated Board reporting.
• Co-ordination and delivery of project meetings and events.
• Acting as an advocate for AAT and contributing to its overall aims.

All Awel Aman Tawe staff are expected to work in support of our charitable purpose and to do this in a manner consistent with our values and organisational policies. All team members are expected to ensure they contribute positively to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of working life at AAT and show a personal commitment to personal and professional development.

Attributes and qualities

• Passionate about scaling local action on climate change and fuel poverty
• Enthusiastic, positive, entrepreneurial, problem solver.
• An attitude and approach that suits a value led, dynamic and collaborative work environment.
• A team player: able to work creatively and effectively with others whilst demonstrating empathy, and understanding.
• Ability to organise oneself and others to ensure timely delivery of activities and outputs.
• Competent in core project management skills around financial, stakeholder, and risk management.
• Ability to understand the big-picture objectives alongside detailed analysis.
• An excellent written and verbal communicator with ability to represent AAT and its ethos at a local and national level.
• Highly motivated and passionate about environmental and social justice concerns.
• The ability to build business relationships in person and while remote working with people from wide a range of backgrounds.
• Degree or equivalent professional experience in a related subject
• Demonstrate substantive experience in one or more of the following technical areas:
• Renewable generation projects including financial modelling
• Building energy efficiency
• Management of resident and/or business facing energy advice services
• Project and/or business development experience involving building concepts, assembling project teams and funding cases
• Budget management
• Welsh language or willingness to start learning Welsh and support the Welsh language

The Offer:

• Time: Full time preferred, but we are open to part time arrangements, and more than one appointment. (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday – Friday)
• Duration: Permanent contract (subject to 6 month probationary period).
• Location: We are open to discussions to enable significant elements of flexible/home working. Presence at Hwb y Gors (AAT Offices), Cwmgors in the Swansea Valley, and presence at construction sites across South Wales will be required to suit business needs.
• Salary: £28,000 – £33,000 (dependant on experience/qualifications).
• Start date: as soon as possible
• We can offer flexible working to suit individual circumstances and a friendly, supportive and rewarding working environment. This includes:
• 25 days leave per annum plus bank holidays for full-time working.
• Ethical Pension scheme with a 5% salary contribution being matched by AAT.
• Positions are open to all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Application process:

• Applications must comprise a CV and covering letter. AAT is a special place to work and it’s important for us to understand clearly why you want to be part of the team and what you feel you can bring. Please ensure you describe fully as part of your application your motivations and suitability for the role with reference to the expectations set out in this job description.
• Please email your application to croeso@awel.coop. Please put Energy Developer in the subject heading.
• Deadline: Friday 5^th September 2025
• Interviews:  Friday 12th September 2025

Summary

Awel Aman Tawe (AAT) is a charity which was set up in 1998 based in Neath Port Talbot on the western end of the coalmining valleys in South Wales. Cwmgors, the village in which we are based is amongst the 10% most deprived communities in the UK (according to the Wales Index of Multiple Deprivation).  Twelve similar villages are included within the Upper Amman and Swansea Valley area which is our geographical focus.

Our prime drivers are tackling climate change, job creation, retaining wealth in the local economy and engaging people in energy. We have set up and manage two co-ops (Community Benefit Societies) and are involved in a number of other projects.  Surplus from the co-ops and other income has enabled the charity to create 19 FTE jobs to date and a range of community projects.

• Awel Co-op, is a 4.7MW community wind farm which was commissioned in Jan 2017. It was funded by a £5.25m loan from Triodos Bank and a £3m community share offer. We are going to be building a 2.6MWp solar farm and 300 kW battery in the autumn 2025 which will share the wind farm’s grid connection to maximise overall generation from our site.
• Egni Co-op develops rooftop solar on schools, businesses and community buildings. It has installed 5 MWp on nearly 100 sites in Wales.  Egni has raised £5m from a community share offer and £2.12m from the Development Bank of Wales to fund the installs which are ongoing. The 2024 turnover was £900k and we saved our sites £257k in electricity costs (£312k in 2023 due to sites paying very high prices to their main suppliers). We prevented more than 1,000 tonnes in carbon emissions. In 2024, we won a tender with Pembrokeshire County Council to install solar on 20 schools and 4 leisure centres.
• ‘Y Bryn’ Shared Ownership https://www.ybryn-windfarm.cymru/ : We have a 20% stake (£30m) in a 130 MW wind farm near Port Talbot. We are working in partnership with Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service (NPTCVS) and Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (BAVO). We have a co-op model to deliver both community benefit funds and shared ownership. Y Bryn is being developed by Coriolis/ESB. We signed MOUs in June 2022 and the project was submitted for planning in December 2023.
• Mynydd Fforch Dwm Shared Ownership https://mfdwindfarm.co.uk/: we have a 17% stake in a 35MW wind and solar farm near the village of Tonmawr, Neath Port Talbot. We are working in partnership with NPTCVS. We signed MOUs in July 2023 and the project secured planning permission in December 2024.
• Hwb y Gors: We are also developing Hwb y Gors, the former village primary school, into a low carbon social enterprise, arts and education venue in the Cwmgors, north of Swansea. It includes a café, arts and education facilities, office accommodation, community transport and car club, and community garden. The site incorporates a sustainable drainage (SUDs) scheme on the former playground, 90kW of solar, a 50 kW ground source heat pump, chargepoints and battery storage. Work is being funded by £2m of grant, loan and community shares funding from the Lottery, Welsh Government, WCVA, Egni Co-op, Moondance Foundation, Transforming Towns, Garfield Weston, Morel Trust, the Landfill Tax, Awel Aman Tawe and others. A film of the refurbishment can be seen here. We will be opening in September
• Climate Change Education: we employ an Education Officer who works with over 40 schools across South Wales to further reduce carbon emissions through arts, music and energy campaign activities. We work in partnership with another charity, Energy Sparks who have a data portal which includes school electricity, gas and solar. On average last year, our work saved £3k for a primary school (12.8t/CO2) and £12k (48 t/CO2) for a secondary in energy costs^[1]. Examples of our work in Pembrokeshire schools can be seen here and an energy rap can be seen here.
• Smart Energy Systems: Egni Co-op has been awarded £1m by the Ynni Cymru scheme. We are currently installing batteries and EV chargepoints at schools and other council sites in Newport and Pembrokeshire where we already have rooftop solar. The aim is to utilise as much of our solar electricity onsite as possible and reduce export to the grid.
• Community Transport: we have four electric and three petrol vehicles and work with vulnerable groups in SW Wales to enable them to access services and support. In particular, we work with people with learning difficulties, disabilities, carers and the elderly. One of the vehicles has a wheelchair ramp. A video of our work with Your Voice Advocacy clients by West Glamorgan Regional Partnership can be seen here.
• Fuel Poverty: we have two Energy Advisors who offer energy advice to local householders and support them to apply for grants for renewables and energy improvements to their homes.
• Tourism, heritage and community facilities: we have recently bought the former Guardsman pub which had been repossessed. We are looking to refurbish it as accommodation for students and tutors on Hwb y Gors workshops, and wider tourism. We also hope to re-open the pub, with a community focus. We bought it as it is one of the oldest buildings in the villages, built in 1883, and a key part of local heritage and a community space.
• Electric car club: we are part of a consortium across Wales and are developing a community electric car club in our area https://www.trydani.org/